The document summarizes Bryony Bramer's presentation on how Regent's University London increased adoption of learning technologies by providing effective and available support for academic staff. It outlines the challenges of ensuring staff could set up online coursework submissions in Blackboard and the steps taken, including conducting a training needs analysis, providing different types of training, and creating support resources to help staff develop the digital literacy skills needed to use Blackboard as required. The goal of these efforts was to help staff demonstrate the ability to upload materials and set up appropriate assignment submissions for students within their Blackboard module areas.

1. Presenter:
Bryony Bramer,
Learning Technology Manager
Regent's University London
Technology Adoption Series
Hear how providing effective and available support for staff
increased adoption at Regent's University London

2. Providing Effective and
Available Support for
Academic Staff
Bryony Bramer
Learning Technology Manager
Regent’s University London
25th June 2015

3. This Session
• Things to think about.
• Ideas to consider at your institutions.

4. My Institution
Regent’s University London:
• Small
• Private
• Not for profit
• Charitable

5. My Role
Leading the Learning Technology Team in:
• Support, training and development of
learning technology at the University.
• Mainly supporting academic staff.

6. Our Challenge
The goal:
• Effective institution-wide online
coursework submission.
The challenge:
• Ensuring that our staff are prepared to set-
up submission areas and receive
submissions via Blackboard.

7. Training and Support
• 100 training sessions.
• Learning Outcomes:
o After this session you will:
oUnderstand the basics of how to use
Blackboard and Turnitin assignments.
o You will be able to:
oCreate Blackboard and Turnitin assignments.
oAccess the students assignments.
• Not suitable for all.

8. Clifford, 1983

9. Skills and Expectations
• What skills do staff need in order to use
Blackboard?
• How can my team support staff in these
essential skills?
• ‘Required Digital Literacy Skillset for
Academic Staff’
• ‘Digital Literacy Skillset for Online
Submission’

10. What Is Digital Literacy?
“Digital literacies are those capabilities
which fit an individual for living, learning
and working in a digital society.”
JISC Digital Literacy Framework (2012)

11. Jisc, 2014
Digital Literacy Model
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/guides/developing-digital-literacies

12. What Is Digital Literacy?
“Digital literacies are the digital skills a
person needs, to be able to do the job
they have been employed to do.”
Bryony Bramer, Regent’s University London (2015)

13. Training Needs Analysis
• 70 questions, in 7 categories.
• Heads of Department involved.
• Staff identify skills they would like to
learn.
• 25% academic staff response rate.

14. General Skills
Basic computer use, file
management and
internet access.
Communication / Email
Reading and sending
emails, including
attachments and
University signatures.
Word Processing
Creating, formatting and
saving documents.
Using Blackboard
Access, locating
information, uploading
files and setting up and
retrieving assignment
submissions.
Presentations
Developing and running
presentations using the
University template.
Using the Library
Searching the library
catalogue, journal articles
and online resources.
Spreadsheets
Setup and basics of
analysis of data using
sums and formulas.
Training Needs Analysis: Categories

15. General Skills (11)
Basic computer use, file
management and
internet access.
Communication /
Email (6)
Reading and sending
emails, including
attachments and
University signatures.
Word Processing (6)
Creating, formatting and
saving documents.
Using Blackboard (5)
Access, locating
information, uploading
files and setting up and
retrieving assignment
submissions.
Presentations (4)
Developing and running
presentations using the
University template.
Using the Library (2)
Searching the library
catalogue, journal
articles and online
resources.
Key Elements of TNA for Academics

16. General Skills (11)
Basic computer use, file
management and
internet access.
Communication /
Email (6)
Reading and sending
emails, including
attachments and
University signatures.
Word Processing (6)
Creating, formatting and
saving documents.
Using Blackboard (5)
Access, locating
information, uploading
files and setting up and
retrieving assignment
submissions.
Presentations (4)
Developing and running
presentations using the
University template.
Using the Library (2)
Searching the library
catalogue, journal
articles and online
resources.
Classroom technology
Using classroom control
panels, PCs, projectors
and Smart boards
.
Working off campus
Accessing systems
including Citrix
applications from home
PCs or mobile devices.
Student record system
Accessing timetables,
recording attendance
and inputting student
grades.
Accessing HR system
Updating personal
details, booking leave
and downloading
payslips.
Key Digital Literacy Requirements
for Academics

17. General Skills (11)
Basic computer use, file
management and
internet access.
Communication /
Email (6)
Reading and sending
emails, including
attachments and
University signatures.
Word Processing (6)
Creating, formatting and
saving documents.
Using Blackboard (5)
Access, locating
information, uploading
files and setting up and
retrieving assignment
submissions.
Presentations (4)
Developing and running
presentations using the
University template.
Using the Library (2)
Searching the library
catalogue, journal
articles and online
resources.
Key Elements of TNA for Academics

18. General Skills
Basic computer use, file
management and
internet access.
Communication /
Email
Reading and sending
emails, including
attachments and
University signatures.
Word Processing
Creating, formatting and
saving documents.
Using Blackboard
Access, locating
information, uploading
files and setting up and
retrieving assignment
submissions.
Key Elements for Online Submission

19. % of respondents needing help in at least 1
of the Key Elements for Online Submission:
General Skills Communication /
Email
Word
Processing
Blackboard
8% 9% 6% 18%
Training Needs Analysis:
The Results

20. General Skills (10)
Basic computer use, file
management and
internet access.
Communication /
Email (3)
Reading and sending
emails, including
attachments and
University signatures.
Word Processing (4)
Creating, formatting and
saving documents.
Using Blackboard (5)
Access, locating
information, uploading
files and setting up and
retrieving assignment
submissions.
Key Elements for Online Submission

21. Required Skills for Online Submission
General Skills Communication / Email Word Processing Blackboard
1. Safely turn my computer
off and on
1. Access my inbox and
read emails
1. Open, create and save a
new document
1. Access and login to
Blackboard
2. Access the Internet and
go to a website
2. Send, reply or forward
an email
2. Save an existing file with
a different file name
2. Find information provided
to me via Blackboard
3. Access the Intranet and
read articles
3. Attach a file to an
email
3. Format text in a
document e.g. change the
size or colour of text
3. Identify and access one of
my module areas
4. Navigate to different
areas of the Intranet using
the menus
4. Copy and paste text in a
document
4. Upload a file
5. Book a training course
using the Intranet
5. Create Blackboard or
Turnitin assignment
submission areas for my
students
6. Save my files on the
university network
7. Save files onto a memory
stick
8. Print a document, using
‘My Prints Staff’ on the
university network
9. Locate where my files are
stored
10. Copy, move, paste and
delete files

22. Where to provide
training:
What training can be
provided?
IT Induction General Skills, Communication / Email
From Line Manager Some General Skills
Software Training Word Processing, Essential Technology Skills
Blackboard Training Blackboard Skills
How to provide the training

23. Training Objectives
After completing training, staff will be able to:
“Demonstrate the ability to meet the
University Blackboard requirements by
uploading relevant materials and setting up
appropriate assignment submission areas
for their students within their Blackboard
module areas.”

24. Blackboard Homepage

25. Support Resources

26. Support Resources

27. Lynda.com Training

28. Summary
• Think about what skills are needed in your
own institution.
• What support can you reasonably provide.
• How can you help the right people see that
these things really are requirements.

29. Any Questions?
Bryony Bramer
Learning Technology Manager
Regent’s University London
bramerb@regents.ac.uk
@BryonyBramer
@RemyAndSnowy